Brestvs.PSV

UEFA regulations mean that the game will be played once again over 100km away in Guingamp, but that has not affected Brest's performance in this competition so far.

Match preview

While form on the continent has been excellent and exceeded expectations, Brest continue to struggle domestically, and they suffered a fourth defeat in five league games on Friday.

Eric Roy's men were comfortably beaten 3-1 by fellow Champions League participants Lille, meaning they remain in the bottom half, closer to the relegation zone than the European places.

In front of their own supporters, results and performances have been largely positive though, with just one defeat in eight as the designated home team since an opening day defeat to Marseille.

That includes taking four points from their two games in Guingamp so far in the Champions League, beating Sturm Graz and drawing with Bundesliga holders Bayer Leverkusen.

Therefore, avoiding defeat here could see Brest become the first French team since Lille in 2001 to start a UCL season unbeaten in their first three home games.

A dream day out at Barcelona on matchday five ended in a 3-0 defeat for the Pirates, but with 10 points already to their name, progression already looks likely regardless of what happens in their final three matches.

However, if Roy's men can find a win, that will see them move into the top eight, playing before Wednesday's fixtures, and with some of the sides around them facing each other.

Despite being below Brest in the 36-team standings, PSV are in scintillating form, and made it six wins in a row across all competitions by thrashing Twente 6-1 on Friday.

That comes after also beating second-placed Utrecht 5-2 a week earlier, opening up a healthy lead at the top, having scored 56 goals in just 15 Eredivisie games so far.

Since losing to rivals Ajax, Peter Bosz's men have scored 26 goals across those six wins, two of which have come in the Champions League - against Girona and Shakhtar Donetsk - leaving PSV with the chance to win three straight UCL games for the first time in over 18 years.

The victory over Girona was straightforward, but they needed a dramatic late comeback to see off Shakhtar on matchday five; 2-0 down on 87 minutes, but Malik Tillman's double and Ricardo Pepi's 95th-minute winner sent the Philips Stadion into rapture.

Those three points moved PSV into the top 24 for the first time in this season's league phase, but their current tally of eight points will almost certainly not be enough to progress, so Bosz will target this fixture and a trip to Red Star Belgrade to get over the line, before facing Liverpool on matchday eight.

Brest Champions League form:

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W

D

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L

Brest form (all competitions):

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L

L

L

W

L

PSV Eindhoven Champions League form:

L

D

D

W

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PSV Eindhoven form (all competitions):

W

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W

Team News

Roy rotated his Brest team slightly for the trip to Lille on Friday night, so the likes of Abdallah Sima, Edimilson Fernandes and Jordan Amavi could return.

Kenny Lala has been ruled out with injury, and with Luck Zogbe unable to play in Europe, that could see Fernandes forced into a full-back position, or see Massadio Haidara shifted over the opposite side.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Bradley Locko and Soumaila Coulibaly remain long-term absentees, while Jonas Martin and Pierre Lees-Melou are also unlikely to feature.

PSV also rotated on Friday night, with Pepi given another chance over Luuk de Jong, but it was Ismael Saibari who stood out, and the Moroccan now has four goals and three assists in just two matches.

Joey Veerman and Jerdy Schouten have both recently returned from setbacks, but neither have started yet since making their comebacks, so they are unlikely to be thrown in from the start.

Sergino Dest and Adamo Nagalo could be fit in time to return, and Rick Karsdorp should also slot in at right-back after a brief setback last week.

Brest possible starting lineup:

Bizot; Fernandes, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Amavi; Camara, Doumbia, Magnetti; Pereira Lage, Ajorque, Sima

PSV Eindhoven possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Karsdorp, Flamingo, Boscagli, Dams; Tillman, Mauro Jr, Saibari; Bakayoko, De Jong, Lang

We say: Brest 0-3 PSV Eindhoven

Despite winning just one of their last 19 away games in the Champions League, PSV are unbeaten in six games against French clubs, including on their trip to Paris Saint-Germain on matchday three where they drew 1-1, and against weaker opposition, they will be fancied to take all three points, given their superb recent form.

Written by

Andrew Delaney

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